Improvement in gas-lighting apparatus



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GAS-LIGHTING APPARATUS.

N0.174,799. Patented March-14,1876.

ivrrnn STATES Paras-'rr OFFICE.

.CHARLES D. P. GIBSON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

/IMPROVEMENT IN GAS-LIGHTING APPARATUS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 174,799., dated March 14, 1876; application filed February 26, 1876.

To all whom fit may concern Beit known that I, CHARLES D. P. GIB'- SoN, of New York city, in the State of New York, have invented certain Improvements relating to Gas-Li ghtin g Mechanism, of which the following is a specitication:

The improvements apply to all that class of apparatus in which the gas is lighted by alternatel-y making andbreaking contact between conductors, and thereby inducing sparks. I have improved the details and gained several important advantages. The points of lthe conductors are. liable to be left in contact when the gas is turned on, or partially turned on 5' and in such case a rapid destruction of the battery, and serious derangement of the apparatus results. The points are also liable to be injured by longcontinued exposure to the full heat of the gas-flame. I form one or both of the conducting parts of compounded matei ial, as iron and brass, which will expand unequally by heat, and so form and' arrange the parts that one 4conducting-arm is drawn away from Contact with the other conductingarm, and also partially away from Vthe burning jet, by its own action when heated. It follows that, when the gas is burning, the conducting parts, however they may be left by the mechanism, automatically assume positions out ot' contact with eachother, and outside ot' the intensest heat, it being lunderstood that either the stationary conductor, or the hinged one, or both, may be thus formed, it' desired, so as to automatically withdraw itself from the intensest heat while the gas is burning. I will represent the invention as having this feature applied only to the stationary arm or conductor. It has long been practiced to cause the other or hinged arm to approach and recede from the stationary arm several times in succession in the act' oi' turning on the gas, so as to obtain a-succession ot sparks, instead of a' single spark. I obtain this eiiect by very simple means.

The accompanying drawing represents what I consider the best means for carrying out the invention.

Figure l is a side elevation, representing the parts in their ordinary condition, with the gas turned oii. Fig. 2 is a plan view ofthe same. Fig. 3 is an elevation, representing the parts with the gas turned partly on. Fig. etis a plan view of the same.

Similar letters of' reference indicate like parts in all the figures.

I attach to the movable part a pendent arm, provided with a series of pins on its outer face, providing a stop on the movable part, to be struck b r the pendent part when it is pressed in one direction, leaving it free to swing as far as may be required in the opposite direction without resistance. I tix on the stop-cock a nger having a double beveled end, which, in turning on the gas, presses the pendent part against the stop, and, in passing the several pins on the pendent part, compels a vibratory movement.

Referring to the drawings, A is theV burner. B is the plug ofthe stop-cock, having a linger, b, formed with a double beveled end, as shown.

U is the fixed conductor, held firmly between Y collars of gutta-percha., or the like, by means the screw c. The upper portion ot' the ixed arm` C is bent, as shown, so as to nearly encircle the iiaine, and to stand in such position as to be very near but not exactly in it. The arm U is composed oi' two layers. Theinnermost layer. Gl, next to the iiame, is copper, or other material which is highly expansible by heat. The outermost layer (IlZ is oi' steel, or

vanalogous material, which is less expansible by heat. When the gas is lighted the heat from the llame warms both layers G1 and G2, but the superior expansibility ot' the innermost layer causes the compound conductor to partially straighten out. This straightening takes the 'end of this conductor out of the path of the other conductor, and also partially out of the gas-jet, as indicated in Fig. 4.

Themovable arm is marked G1 G2, the upper portion G1v being the longest, the whole turning easily on the screw-pin F, as will be understood. A spring, H, secured on the side of the burner, engages in a hole in the slot in 'the arm G1, and tends to hold one end of this arm at a middle distance from the gas-jet. In the side oi' the lower arm G2 is iixed a screwpin, c', which carries a freely-pendent piece or pawl, J, having piusjjzj3 set in the side. The pin g2 set in the arm G2 serves as a stop to prevent tlie pawi J from swinging beyond it.

When the plug B, and consequently the iinger b, is turned to the right in the act of turning on the gas, the double beveled end ot' theV linger b strikes the first pinjl, and, after swinging the pawlJ to the right until it strikes the stop g2, acts forcibly against the latter and turns the lever Gl Gr2 so as to bring the upper end of' the lever Gr1 into contact with the upper end of the compound tixed conductor C. The

.moment the beveled end of the finger b passes the first pin jl, and is presented to the space between it and the second, the spring H draws away the arm Gl out of contact with C, and induces a spark, and the movement of' the finger b pastv the second pinj2 induces a second approach of the conductors together, and a second separation, resulting in a second spark, and the same in passing the third. rIhe length of the swinging pawl J may be ncreased,and the number of pinsj1 i2 may be increased, but usually three will be sufticient. lff the gas is turned full on-andthe finger b passes the last pin jl, the pawl J will drop down by gravity and thelever Gl G2 will assume the. positionA called for by the elasticity ot' the spring H,

which should be set so as to hold one cnd'ot' 11' a little out ofthe flame. When the gas is turned off, the finger b, in moving to the left, swings the pawl J to the lef't without resist ance, after which the pawl again drops and stands, as shown in the figures, ready to again serve when the gas is turned on. It', as sometimes will be the case, the gas is but .partly turned ou and is again turned ol, the end' of the finger b is-formed with such bevel that it can be movcdvto the left past the oneror more piusj' jl.

Itis important that the apex of the double bevel at the cud of' the finger b should have but asmall bearing against the successive pins j" jz, so as to reduce the liability that the parts will be left with the end of' the finger presented centrally against one of the pins. In the rare case that thefin ger is leftpresented thus cen Irally, it will result that ,the .end ot' the arm Gl will be left in contact with theend of the coinpound arm Gl C2, and consequently in the flame. ln such event the mutual expansion of' the two metals in the compound arm (J1 C2 will notonly be of advantage by automatically withdrawing from the hottest part of the flame the said arm,

but will also, by moving it laterally, take' it out of contact with the arm G1, and-will prevent the battery from being idly worked.

It will be understood that the end of' each of the conductors should, under all circumstances, be tipped with platinum. may be quite small, if' care is taken to confine the pat-h of' the movable `arm Gl so that it is certain to move in the proper plane, and, so long as the parts are cold, to `make contact with the fixed arm when it is farthest inward.

Many modifications may be madein the details'withoutdetractin g from the principle ot' the invention. Thus, the spring H may be coiled to increase its range of motion, and it may be adapted to induce the holding of the upper end ot' the. lever farther from or nearer to the ame than is here represented. The pinsjj2 may be formed in one with the piece J, and the stop'pin gz may lie formed in one with the' arm G2; but Lesteem it important that thevparts corresponding to the pins j1 j2 j bes-ot' hard steel, and, that the `end of the finger b should be of the same material.

My improvement reduces `the apparatus to what I esteem the smallest number of parts,

the only moving parts, with the exception of the plug B, being the lever Grl G2 and the pawl J I claimas my invention- 1. In combination with a gas-burner, A, and suitable electrical conductors, the compound construction C1 02 of' one otl the conductors, whereby it is, when the gasis lighted, alltomatically insured against a liability of contact with. the other conductor, as herein set forth.

2. The pawl Jjljz and stop g2, in combinaton.with the finger b on the plugl ofthe stopcock, and with the burner A and suitable elec trical conductors, as and forthe purposes herein specified.

In testimonyl whereof I have hereunto`set my hand this 24th day of' February, 1876, in the presence of` two subscribing witnesses.

' V OHAS. D. I); GIBSON.

Witnesses:

Jos. FRoHLIoH, G. W. SGHRAMM.

The ends 

